Colorado DEM Information Report
Centennial, Colorado April 23, 2008 Contact: Polly White 720-852-6630
Colorado Springs Looking for City Forester
The City Forester is responsible for the health of approximately 118,500 street and park trees in Colorado Springs’ street right-of-ways, parks and open space areas. In this position, you’ll direct the activities and operations of the Forestry Division, including managing an annual budget of $1.3 million and supervising 15 full-time employees. You’ll report to and support the Director of Parks, Recreation & Cultural Services; oversee the development, implementation and maintenance of the City’s Urban Forest Master Plan; administer aspects of the City’s tree service licensing program as well as a variety of contracts relating to Forestry operations; and perform long-range natural resource planning.
The City Forester will lead, train, and evaluate staff, paying special attention to succession planning and management of a variety of generations in the workforce; develop and present complex administrative and financial reports; and oversee the enforcement of City codes and regulations governing the protection of the urban forest. You’ll actively build and maintain relationships with neighborhood associations and other community groups, and collaborate with agencies and organizations including the Parks and Recreation Advisory Board, City Council, public and private entities, and the media. The City Forester also researches, develops and implements innovative natural resources programs such as biomass utilization, use of high-quality native species for disease resistance and water conservation, interagency partnerships relating to wildland fire prevention, and forestry insect and disease control and prevention initiatives.
Click here for more information and to apply for this position.
National Volunteer Week
Sponsored by the Points of Light & Hands On Network and supported by USA Freedom Corps, National Volunteer Week is about thanking one of America's most valuable assets – our volunteers – and calling the public's attention to all that they do to improve our communities. The 2008 theme is "Volunteer to Change the World" and runs from April 27th to May 3rd.
National Volunteer Week was created in 1974 to establish the week as an annual celebration of volunteering. Every year since, each U.S. President, along with many governors, mayors, and other elected officials, has signed a proclamation promoting National Volunteer Week. The Points of Light and Hands On Network offer a National Volunteer Week Toolkit available online at www.pointsoflight.org/programs/seasons/nvw.
Media Hotline Up and Running for the Season for Wildfire Information
Public information officers (PIO) with the Upper Colorado River Interagency Fire Management Unit (UCR) have activated the fire information hotline for media inquiries for the 2008 Season. Members of the media may call 970.244.3104 seven days a week, at any time to learn about wildfire activity on public lands and national forest system lands within the UCR. This call-in number is for media inquiries only and is designed to provide the most updated, available information for incidents and activities within the UCR zone.
The PIOs have established a rotating, on-call schedule to ensure that an information officer is available to answer questions that the media may have. The on-call PIO will obtain and record the status and available information about the incident(s) on the phone line and will update it as significant/new information is available. The PIO will also list their contact information at the end of the recording to clarify any information and/or address additional questions.
UCR is comprised of the BLM Glenwood Springs and Grand Junction Field Offices; the Grand Valley Ranger District of the Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre and Gunnison National Forests; the White River National Forest; and the Colorado National Monument. It encompasses more than 4.5 million acres of land, oriented along the Interstate 70 corridor from the Continental Divide on the east to the Utah State line on the west.
Additional information about fire restrictions and other fire-related
information on public and national forest lands can be viewed at:
http://www.nifc.gov., http://gacc.nifc.gov/rmcc/dispatch_centers/r2gjc/;
http://www.rockymountainwildlandfire.info/; and http://dola.colorado.gov/dem/public_information/firebans/fireinfo.htm.
Wildfire Media Information Hotline for public and national forest system
lands within the Montrose Interagency Fire Management Unit can
be
accessed at: 970.249.1010 and information provided at: http://gacc.nifc.gov/rmcc/dispatch_centers/r2mtc/
New Water Conservation Position Open
In March, the Colorado Water Conservation Board approved a grant to the
Colorado Water Wise Council to hire an Executive Director (ED). The
new ED will be expected to develop water conservation Best Management
Practices (BMPs) for Colorado, execute several technical workshops and
an annual membership event, enhance membership value and benefits,
develop sustainable funding sources and lead the association as it
advances its program goals in the years ahead.
For more information of the job description, requirements and how to
apply, please visit www.coloradowaterwise.org .
For more information about Colorado Water Conservation Board go to: http://cwcb.state.co.us.
Fire Restrictions & Bans
Our office will be tracking fire restrictions and bans for Colorado again this year. With the wildfires we expreienced last week, and with the number of Red Flag Warnings we've experienced over the past few weeks, it's imperative to keep the public updated.
So if your jurisdiction is implementing restrictions, please me me know: Polly White, 720-852-6630. Please know our information is sometimes only as good as your critical input!
Thanks in advance for your help.
Click here for the fire information webpage.
Thought for the Day
"Life is tough, and if you have the ability to laugh at it you have the ability to enjoy it."